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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 25, 1916)
THE 3EMIAVEEKLV TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. 8YNOPS18. '-rt-9 Pel.!" CnlRlit, dofcalod for political of Icrt .n his town, decides to vonturo Now Tjrk In order tlint tlio family fortunes might benefit by tlio expected rlso of Ids charming daughter. Lorelei. A well known critic Interviews Lorelei Knight, now staga beauty with Hergmnn's Itovuo, for a special article Her roln-hunting mother outlines irotol'H ambltloun, but Blosson, tho press agent, later ndds his Information, Lorolel attends Milllonulro Mammon's gorgeous entertainment. Hho moets Merklo, a wealthy dyspeptic. Hob Wharton comes uninvited, Ixirrlcl dis covers a blackmail plot ngalnut Hammon, In which her brother Is Involved. Merklo and Lorelei have an suto wreck. Tho blackmailers besmirch hor good name, Lorotol learns hor mother Is an unscru pulous plotter, Hho finds In Adoreo Dom orost a roal friend, and finds Hob Whar ton Is likable. Lorelei leaves her family -and goes to live nlono. Lorolel and drun ken Bob Wharton are tricked Into marriage. Wonderlnci how she can noo albty escape the drunken ca resses of her new husband th?. first nlaht of their marrlan4., Lorelei finds the profcltx eud- denly solved for fur but in a ghastly manner. The demona of blackmail and Intrigue which have followed her give way to devils of bloodshed and murder. How she acta In a tragic crista Is told In Rex Beach's best style In this Installment. Bob Wharton and his bride and Lllas and Jimmy Knight are In Lllas' apartment celebrating the wedding when Hammon enters. He and Lllas are quarreling. CHAPTER XIV Continued. During this nngry scone Lllas hiul not risen nor spoken. Her eyes wcro very black and very brilliant against tier pallor, and sho was smiling de risively. "Wnltr she Interposed, "I'm not going; to atay here with this old fool." Hammon grew purple; lie ground Ills teeth. "You shall stay. We're going to have a talk nnd nettlo things once for all." Lllas rose swiftly with n comploto change of manner; she was smiling no longer; her faco was sinister. "Very well," slio agreed. "Tonight. Why not? But I want Lorelei to stay nnd hear. Yes." "No, I don't wont her." "I do." Lllas bad temper. flared up promptly from the hot coals of spite ful, drunken stubbornness. "Sho'll stay till you go, or elso ril put you out too. I don't trust you." Slio laughed disagreeably. "Then have your way. It's you I want to talk with, anyhow, drunk ns you are. Now, Bob will you say goodnight?" Ho waved tho two men from jhp room, and the outer door closed behlud thorn. 1 Lorelei bad little desire to remain as tho witness to ft distressing scene, but alio seized upon tho dolny, for oven a sordid lovers' quarrel was pref erable to tlio caresses of a sodden bridegroom. But daylight scorned n long -way off sho fonrcd Bob would not fall asleep during this brief res pite. "Now coma with mo, If you please." Hammon turned In tho direction of tho library, and Lllas followed, pausing to light a clgarotto wltli n studied In difference that added fuel to his rage. Lorelei seated herself at tho disordered dining tnblo nnd Btarcd miserably at tho wall. "Well?" said Hammon, when ho nnd Wins wero nlono. "Is this how you Mvo up to your promises?" "How did you know I went out to Bight?" sho Inquired In her turn. "I had you watched. After whnt happened last night I wns suspicious. "Ar You Just Drunk?" He Said. ve been waiting for hours while you wcro out witli that grafter, drinking, carousing " He bent toward her, -white with fury, but she blew the ainoke from her flgarctto into his face, and he checked jlmnclf, staring at her strangely. Hho tad seated herself upon the edge of tho vending table, ono foot swinging Idly. ftie watched him with a brooding, In lolcnt amusement" "Are you Just drunk," ho said, un rertalnly, "or hnvo you completely lost yrjr senses?" "Yes, I'm drunk. What are you go 5rft to do about It?" I "I why, ,vnu mustn't (all: like that; eAUCTOH A AOVEL OF MEW YORK: LVJ3Tumom 4 r PARKER you're not yourself, Lllas." He rnn his eyes ovor the luxurious little room; he wiped his face with n shaky linnd, feeling that It wan ho who had lost 1)1.1 senses. "The wine Is talking. When I asked you to marry me I never dreamed " Hho eyed him silently with an ex pression he could not fathom, then asked, "Toll mo, do you really care for me?" Jnrvls Hammon wns n virile, head strong man; his world hnd come sud denly, Inexplicably to nn end, Ills voice wns hoarse, ns ho answered: "Do you think I'd have mnde n fool of myself If I hadn't? Do you think I'd have ruined myself ?" "Have you ruined yourself?" she Interrupted, quickly. "Not quite, pcrhnps; but what I've lost, whnt I've sacrificed, would hnvo ruined most men. My home Is gone, and my fnmlly ns you know yes, nnd n good many other things you don't know about. Financially I'm not dono for " "Thnt's too bad." "Eh? I don't understand. Whnt arc you getting nt?" "I'll tell you. I never Intended to marry you, Jnrvls." Ho started ns If sho had struck him. "That's what I said," she reaffirmed, "and I'll toll you why. Look at mc close." Ho did ns she directed, but saw nothing, his mind being In chaos. It had been her intention to call Lorelei to witness this dramntlc disclosure nnd thus enhnnco Its effect, but In tho excitement of tho moment sho forgot. "Look nt mc," she repented. "I'm Lily Lovlnskl." "Levlnskl. A Jew?" he oxclalmed, In naive surprise "Yes. I'm Joe Levlnskl's girl. Do you remember?" "A Jew!" It -was plain thnt tlio imnio meant nothing. Sho slid down from her perch and approached him, crying roughly, "Don't you remember Joo Lovlnskl?" Hnmmon shook his head, "no worked for you In tho Bessemer plant of tlio old Kingman mill. Don't you remem ber?" "Thero wero four thousand mon " "He wns killed when tho converter dumped. You wero rushing tho work. Do you remember now?" Her words enmo swift and shrill. Hnmmon started; n frown drow his brows together, nis mind groped back through tho years, and momory faintly stirred, but sho gave him no Iclsuro to speak. "I was waiting outsldo with his din ner bucket, nlong with tlio otlior wom en. I saw him go. I bbw you kill him" "Lllas! Good God, nro you crazy?" ho burst forth. "It was murder." "Murder?" "It was. You did it. You killed him." She had dropped hor cigarette, nnd it burned a blnck senr Into tho nig at their foot. Hammon retreated u step, tlio girl followed with blazing eyes and words thnt wcro hot with hate. "You spilled that melted steel on him, nnd I snw It all. When I grow up I prnyed for a chantj to got oven, for his snko nnd for tho sake of tlio other huuklcs you killed. You killed my mother, too, Jnrvls Hammon, nnd mnde mo n n " "Bo quiet!" ho commnnded, roughly. "Tho thing's Incredible absurd. You tho daughter of ono of my workmen and n Jew!" "Yes. Levlnskl Lily Lovlnskl. And you wanted to marry me," slio gibed. "But I fooled you." "I guess I must be out of my bond. I never knew tho man thero wero thousands of them; accidents wero common. But you sny " Ho gnthored his Avhlrllng thoughts, nnd, strangely enough, grew cnlm. "You sny you prayed for n chnnco to got even So, then, you've been humbug ging By God, I don't bollovo It!" "It's true. It's true. It's true," shrilled tho girl so hysterically that her voico roused Lorelei, sitting vacant eyed In tho room down the hall, nnd brought her to her foot with ears mid denl.v strained. Lorelei could hear only a pnrt of tho words thnt followed, but tho tones of tho two voices drow hor from her rotrent ,nnd toward tho front of the apartment. "I knew you." Lllns wns swing. "I d'rurod it nil out, and you wcro easy. Von wero a bigger fool than dreamed." "You took my money you let mo support you!" cried Hnmmon, In bitter accusation. "Oh, I did moro than that, I planned everything thnt tins hnppcucd to you oven thnt blackmail." "Blackmnll!" ho shouted. Did you- wus thnt your ?" Ho grow suddenly apoplectic; his oyes distended and red dencd with rage, nis dlsmny delighted her. "Ccrtntnly," sho smiled. "Half the money is In my bank at this minute besides all tho rest you've given mo Oh, I've got enough to live on with out marrying you. Who do you think put your wlfo wlso and gnvo her the evidence for her dlvoro, eh? Think it over. Do you remember thoso let tcrs7 You wcro very ludlscreet and Your wlfo will read them and your daughters " Jarvls Hnmmon roused himself nt Inst. Surprise, incredulity, dismay gnve plnce to fury, and, as In nil primi tive natures, his wrath took shape as an Impulse to destroy. "You'll do tbnt eh?" His tone, his benrlng wero threatening. He ad vanced ns If to sclzo her in his great hands, and only her quickness saved her. "Don't touch mo!" Her voice ended In n little shriek as she evaded a sec ond effort to grasp her, nnd plnccd the tnblo between them. "What do you menu?" But it seemed that she hnd done her work too well, for his answer was like Its Report Echoed Loudly. tlio growl of a hungry benst. His eyes roved over tho tablo for a Weapon, nnd, rending his lnsnno purpose, she cried again: "Don't do that. I warn you Tho nearest object chanced to bo n crystal globe In which wns sot u tiny French clock ono df those library or nnmcnts serving ns timepiece nnd pa- porwelght ovor this his hand closod; ho moved toward her. "Put that down," sho cried. Ho did not puiiBo. "Put It " Sho wrenched at the tnblo drawer and fumbled for something. Hammon uttered a bellow and leaped at her, It wns n tiny revolver, smnll enough to fit Into n mnn's vest pocket or n womnn's puree, but Its report echoed loudly. The nolso came Mko n cannon shot to tho girl In tho hall outsldo, and brought a cry to her Hps. Lorelei flung herself against tho library door. Whnt she snw renssurcd hor momcn tnrlly, for, nlthough Lllns wns nt bay ngalnst u bookcase, nnmmon wns rooted In his trncks. A strnnge, almost ludicrous expression of surprise wns on his fnco; he wns stnrlng down at his brenst; the revolver lay on tho floor botween him imd Lllns. Lorclcl gasped nn Incoherent ques tion, but neither of tho two who faced each othor nppenred to hear It or to notice her presoneo In tho room. "I told you to keep off," Lllns chat tered. Her eyes were fixed upon Hnm mon, but her ontflung nrms wcro prossed against tho support at her bnck ns If sho felt herself growing weak "You did It yourself. I wnrned you." The mnn merely remained motion less, staring. But thero was something shocking in tho paralysis that held him nnd llxed his face In thnt distorted mold of speechless amazement. Finally ho stirred; ono hand crept inside his wulstcont, then enmo away red; ho turned, walked to n chair, aud hnlf fell upon It. Then lie saw Lorelei's fnco, and her ngonized question took shape out of tho whirling chnos of his mind. "Where's Bob?" ho said, faintly "Call lilm, pleaso." "You're hurt. 111 telophono for a doctor; there's ono In tho house, and nnd tho police, too." Lorelei voiced her first Impulse, then shrilly appealed to Lllns to do something. But Lllas re malncd petrified in her attitude of re treat; from tlio pallor that was whiten lug her cheeks now it might havo been sho who wus in danger of death "Don't telephone," said Hammon huskily. "You must do Just ns I say understand? This mustn't get out, do you henr? I'm not hurt. I'm nil right, but fetch Bob. Don't let him cnll n doctor, either, until I got homo Now hurry plenso." Lorelei rushed to tho outside door, restraining with dltilculty n wild 1m pulso to run screaming through tho hall. With skirts gathered high and breath sobbing In her throat, the girl lied up tbo stair to her own door, where Bho clung, ringing tlio boll frantically, Sho could honr Bob's her husband's BLOCK "The voice Inside, raised In the Mat of hu mor. Evidently ho wns telephoning. "Yes. Two hours ago, I to!', you. With book, bell nnd candle." Jim's footsteps sounded, his hand opened tho floor, then his nrm flew out to his sister's support as bIic staggered in. "Sis! What" he cried nt sight of her. "Something drcndful." Bob continued his cheerful colloquy over the wire. "Sny! Hero sho Is now. We'll expect n mnrblo clock with gilt ctiplds from you, Mcrkle Want to sny hello?" Ho lurched aside from the telephone as Lorelei snatched the re- elver from his hand. "Mr. Merkle," bIio cried. "Hello! Yes. Is thnt you?" came Merkle's steady voice. "Como quick quick." "What's wrong?" he demanded, with shnrp chnnge of tone. "Hns Bob ?" "No, no. It's Mr. Hammon. He's downstairs with Lllas, nnd bo's hurt- shot. I I'm frightened." She turned to And Bob nnd Jim star ing nt her. "Come," she gnsped. "I think he's dying." She led tho wny swiftly, nnd they followed. CHAPTER XV. Merklo found his chauffeur Just clos ing the gnrnge door, nnd three minutes Inter his enr wns sweeping westward through the park like the shadow of some flying bird. The vngucness, tho brevity of the messngo thnt hnd come to him out of tho night mnde it terribly nlnrmlng. Jnrvls Hnmmon's financial Interests wero In no condition to with stand n shock; for n long time many of them had been under fire. He had committed his assoclntes to n program of commercial expansion, never too se cure even under favorable conditions. nnd one, moreover, which had pro- oked a tremendous nssnult from rlvnl steel mnnufneturers. Now, with Hnm mon hlpiself stricken at tho crisis of tlio struggle, there was no telling whnt results might follow. But Merkle's npprchenslons were by no means purely selfish. Hnmmon and he had been friends for mnny years; they shnred a mtuil respect nnd af fection, and, nlthough Merklo wns cmi- lently prnctlcnl nnd unemotionnl, he prnyed now ns best- he could that Hnmmon might not be grievously In jured. As tho machino drow up to the Ele- gnncin, Jimmy Knight lenped to the running bonrd nnd said hurriedly: "Send your driver away." Merkle did ns ho wns directed, rcnliz- ing his worst fears. When he nnd Jim stood nlone on the walk he inquired weakly, "Is ho dead?" Jim shook his head, nnd Merklo snw thnt ho wns deeply agltnted. "No, But he's got a bullet In his chest." Together the men entered tho build' lng and nt the first ring wero ndmitted to Apartment No. 1 by Lorcloi herself. Sho led them straight Into tho library, Perhaps n quarter of an hour hnd elapsed since the shooting, but Jarvls Hammon still sat In tho big chair. He was breathing quietly. Bob Wharton stood bcsldo him. ''John!" Tho Ironmaster smiled 'pat Hdly ns his friend enme nnd knelt be side him. "You got hero quickly." "Aro you bndly hurt, Jnrvls?" "The thing Js In hero somewhere." Hnmmon took his hand away from his brenst, and Merklo saw that tlio fiugers wero bloody. "Can you get me out of here quietly?" John Merklo rose to his full height, his Hps writhed back from his teeth narshly ho Inquired: "Where Is that woman?" "She's back yonder in hor room,' Bob told him. "She's ill." Merklo turned, but, reading his in tent, Hammon checked him, crying In n strong voice: "None of thnt, John. 1 did It myself. It wns an accident." "I don't believe it." Hnmmon's eyes met those of his uc cuser; tlio two stnrcu at each other ster.dlly for a moment. Tho other occupants of the room hnd listened breathlessly; now Lorelei stirred nnd Merklo read more than mero bewilderment In her face. Ho opened his Hps, but tho wounded man did not wnlt for him to sdenk. "You must bellcvo mo!" he snld, ear nestly. "It's the truth, and I won't havo Lllas involved we've been grqat deal to each other. Tonight accused her wrongfully. It whs all my fault I'm to blnnio for everything." Thero wns n pause. "Now get mo out of hero ns quietly nnd quickly ns you cau. I'm really not hurt much. Come, come! There's uohody homo except Orson nnd some of tho kitchen help, nnd Orson Is nil right tho women nro gouo, you know. Ho'll get a doctor. It's a bad business, of course, but I'vb thought It nil out, nud you must do ex actly ns I say." Tho effort of this long speech told on the BUffercr. " Swcnt beaded his fnce; nevertheless, hie Jnwg remained Ormly set; his ;lnuco was purposeful, his big hands wero gripped tightly over the arms of tho chair, Thero was eoniot'ilug su- Author of The Iron Trail "The Spoilers" Silver Horde" Etc. perb, something terrible about his un changing grlmncss. "Is your car outside, John?" he asked. Merklo shook his head, no was thinking swiftly. "I wouldn't dare risk thnt, nnyhow. Tho drlvor is n now mnn." "Get n cnb," Jim offered, in n panic. "The cnb driver would bo sure to " "I'll drive," Bob volunteered. "I'm drunk, but I've done It before when I wns drunker. It's nn old trick of mine sort of a Joke, see? Give me some money a cabby'U do nnyL'ilng for money nt this time o' night." Merklo eyed tho speaker In momen tary doubt, then handed him n roll of bank-notes. "It's n serious business, Bob, but Jnrvls can't stny here. There's somebody elso to consider besldci us nnd Miss Lynn. I'm thinking about Mrs. Hnmmon nnd the girls." Ho fol lowed Bob to tho door nnd let him out, stepped swiftly down tho hall, then, without knocking, opened tho door to Lllns Lynn's bedroom nnd entered. Lllns was busied at her dressing. At his entrance she uttered a frightened cry and a silver spoon slipped from her nerveless fingers. Mcrkle saw a little open box, n glass of water, tho cap of n pearl-and-gold fountain pen, but took scant notice of them, being too deeply stirred nnd too much surprised nt her nppenrnnce. Sho was no longer the vi tal, dashing girl he hnd known, but a pallid, cringing wreck of a woman. She shrank bnck nt sight of him, bab bling unintelligible words nnd cower ing ns If expecting a blow. Did you shoot him?" ho nsked, grimly. Shivering, choking, speechless, Lllas stnred nt him. A repetition of his ques tion brought no reply. Seizing her roughly, he shook her, muttering savagely: "If I were sure, by God, I'd strnnglo you!" She remnined limp; her expression less stare did not chnnge. Mcrkle heard a stir behind him nnd found Jimmy Knight's blnuchcd faco peering in at him. Even fright could not entirely rob tho younger mnn's fea tures of their sly inquisitlvencss. "Mr. Hnmmon's calling you," said Jim, then blinked at tho wretchedly disheveled woman. "Here!" Merkle beckoned him with a Jerk of his head. This girl must get nwny from here. Sho'll ruin everything in her condition. Try to put her In some kind of shape while Lorelei packs her bag. Wo bad better get her out of the country if wo cnn." Jim's quick eyes took In tho articles on the dressing table. "Ha! Dope," ho exclnlmed. "She's n coker she's filled herself up. But, sny you don't renlly think she did it, do you?" "I don't know whnt to think. It's Just ns bad, either wny. Hnmmon's wife nnd dnughters must never know. Now, quick. See whnt you cnn do with her.' Merkle returned to the library, sent Lorelei in to her brother's nsslstnnce, men sennneu nis menu's rnco nnx lously. But Hnmmon hnd not moved; the sweat still stood upon his Hps nnd forehend, his Jaws were still set Hko stone. Several months boforo, Bob Whar ton, during ono of his hilarious mo ments, hnd conceived the brilliant no tion of hiring a four-wheoler and drlv Ing n convivial party of friends from place to place. Tlio success of his ex ploit had been so gratifying that he had repeated tho performance, but ho was in u far different mood now &s he left the Elegancla. The shock of Lorelei's announcement, tho sight of his stricken friend, had sobered him considerably, yet he was not himself by any means. At ono moment ho saw and reasoned clearly, at tho next his Intoxication benumbed his senses nnd distorted, his mental vision. For onco in his life he wished himself sober. Broadway, that pulsating nwory of Now ori life, was still flowing a thin stream of trntlic despite the lntcness of tho hour, nnd Bob's mind had bC' como clearer by tho time he reached It, beveral taxlcabs whirled past, both north and south bound, but ho knew bettor than to hire them, bo ho waited as patently as ho could while those billows of Intoxlcntlon continued to obb and ilow through his brain, robbing him of that careful Judgment which he fought to rctnin. At Inst tho clop-clop-clop of n horse's hoofs sounded close by, nnd nn un- shaven mnn In nn nnclent high hnt stoeved a four-wlieelcr to the curb, barking, "Keb, keb!" Bob lurched forward and laid n hand upon tho driver's knee. "Very man I'm lookln' for." Tho hiccup that fol lowed was by no means Intentional. "Yes, sir. Where to, sir?" But Bob shook l is head vigorously and waved a comprehensive gesture toward tho west. "Got a party of my own back yonder everybody soused but me understand? I'm the only sober one, so I'm goln to drive 'em home, see? How much?" "How much for what?" demanded tho cabman. "For tha Oib oo hour. I'll bring it back." Nothing except Bob's personal ap penrnnce prevented the driver from whipping up without moro ndo. The night wns old nnd these Jokers some times pny well, the man reflected. "Ilow'd'l know you'd bring It bnck?" he Inquired. "Mntter of honor with mo. I'll bo bnck in no time. Will ten dollars be right? I'll mnke It fifteen, nnd you can lend me your cont nnd hnt. Wo'll exchnngc hnvo to, or no Joke. Is it n go?" The offer wns tempting, but tbo driver cnnnlly demnnded Whnrton's name nnd address before committing himself. The card that Bob handed him put an end to the parley; h wheeled Into the side street nnd re moved his long, nickel-buttoned coat and his battered tile, taking Bobs broadcloth and well-blocked hat In re turn. "First one o' these I ever had on,' he cluickled. "If you ain't back I'lt tako these glnd rngn to Chnrley Yolce's hotel, eh?" "Bight! Tho Chnrlevolx. But I'll be bnck." Bob drove nwny with a pnrtlng flourish of his whip. Tho elevntor wns In Its plnce, the hnll-mnn dozing, when Wharton en tered the Elcgnncla nnd rang the bell of Lllns Lynn's npnrtment Onco he hnd gnlned ndmlttnnce little time wns wnstcd. He nnd Mcrkle helped Ham mon to his feet, then each took an arm; but tho exertion told, and Jarvls hung between them Hko a drunken mnn, a gray look of death upon his face. "Watch out for the door-man," Jim my Knight cautioned for tho twentieth time. "Make him think you've got a souse." "Aren't you coming nlong?" asked Bob. But Jim recoiled. "Me? No. I'll stay nnd help Lllas make her get away." Merkle nodded agreement "Don't let her get out of your sight, either, un derstand? There's a ship sailing In the morning. See that she's aboard." Jnrvls nammon spoke. "I wnnt you nil to kuow tbnt I'm entirely to blame nud that I did this myself. Lllas Is -good girl." Tho words came labori ously, but his heavy brows wcro drawn down, his jnw was squnro. "I wns clumsy. I might hnve killed her. But she's nil right, nnd I'll bo all right, too, when I get a doctor. Now pnt thnt pistol In my pocket, John. Do as I say. There I Now I'm ready." Bob Wharton mounted the box and drove to Central Park West At Sixty- seventh street he wheeled into the sunken eaus'ewny thnt links the East nnd West sides. Onco In the shadows, Merkle leaned from the door, crying softly, "Faster! Faster!" Bob whipped up, the horse cantered, the cab reeled nnd bounced over the cobblestones, rocking thewounded mnn pitifully. To John Merkle the ride "wns terrible, with n drunkard nt tho reins and in his nrms a perhaps fatally Injured man, who, despite the tortures of that bumping carriage, interspersed his gronns with cries of "Hurry, hurry!" When he felt the grateful smoothness of Fifth avenue beneath the wheels he "Did You Shoot Him?" He Asked Grimly. lenned forth n second time nnd wnrned Bob. "Bo enreful of the wntchman In the block." The liquor In Bob was dying; he bent downward to Inquire, "Is ho all right?" Mcrkle nodded, then withdrew his head. The Hammon residence hns changed owners of late, but many people recall its tragic associations and continue to point It out with interest. It Is a mas sive pile of gray stone, standing Just east of Fifth avenue, and its bronze doors open upon nn exclusive, well kept side street. At the farther corner, dimly discernible beneath tho radiance of n street light, Bob made out the wntchmnn, now nt tho end of his pa trol. The moment was propitious; there could be no further delay. x ... ... . TB uo you believe Lllas Is really guilty was she Justified? And do you think that Jimmy Knight will use this occasion to collect blackmail money? (TO OE CONTINUED.) 1 i -irtWv 4 3'"